PW shot 1 ~ Telephone Box
August 13th, 2009
Here is the first of my photographs taken using the new Pocket Wizard TTL radio system. It is one of 4 shots I took on Tuesday’s creative day that used the new PW system.
The telephone box shot is a simple non line of sight test for the new PW system. It's the kind of frame I shot at the BBC many years ago.
The rig and details…
Here is the scene shot by a friend on the new Olympus Pen camera I have on review for Warehouse Express.
The scene
I chose to light the telephone box with a single Speedlight fitted to a Pocket Wizard Flex TT5. I fitted the flash head with a Honl Speed Grip and full orange gel. I secured the rig horizontally up in the roof of the telephone box with a ‘magic arm and super clamp’.
The light rig included a 430 Speedlight in a horizontal position on a PW FlexTT5.
The wider scene shows how I cut the ambient exposure and by setting a K value of 4000 in camera the split colour rendition was set. In this shot I have left the magic arm bracket. It just needs one quick click with the clone tool to remove it.
The flash was bounced off the stainless steel lining to the kiosk to give a diffused key feel to the shot as this close up shows.
One Speedlight and a prop that will soon be gone from our streets for good. The PWs didn’t miss a beat as was expected.
More challenging shots from the same set are to come soon. Please comment below.
31 Comments Add your own
1. Chris | August 13th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
great little sequence. Was the flash exposure ettl? any comp?
2. damien | August 13th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
High Chris, Straight TTL. No comp needed although I tried several frames to see that it did indeed work as expected and it did.
3. john shaw | August 14th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Hi Damien, First thing today was log onto the blog to see the latest update for the new PW’s. Nice shots… I am seriously thinking about upgrading my kit from a IR system to wireless – From your testing so far are they the real deal… E.g. Worth the investment , I know it would open up a world of creativity with off camera flash but your advise is appreciated.
4. Joe | August 14th, 2009 at 8:31 am
I like these a lot. Got a question – having not really followed with the Pocket Wizard line, what are you using to trigger the flash (and how does it connect to the flash) – silly question, but only ever used the ST-E2.
5. John Curgenven | August 14th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Inspiration for us all, as always.
As an Olympus user for 40 years, I’d be interested in your views of the new Olympus Pen.
Best wishes,
John
6. Dave Packer | August 14th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Hi Damien
With the mini and the flex i cant seem to add or take exposure comp using the camera controls for instance when using the P mode (canon 5d) on ETTL? i have to mount a 2nd 580 mark 2 on the mini and use this as a master?
Is this “normal”.
Once again many thanks
Dave
7. Larry | August 14th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Hi Damien,
Where is the best place ti get thr magic arm and super clamp?
larry
8. damien | August 14th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Hi Dave,
I’ll dig out my 5D and take a few frames on the weekend and report back.
Cheers,
Damien.
9. Dave Packer | August 14th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Cheers mate, Dont think its me but will double check myself, im going to treat myself to a day with Marko this autumn, so would like to get it sorted for then.
Dave
10. damien | August 14th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Hi John,
I’ve yet to really get to grips with the Pen yet. I’m still doing my straight from the box shooting. It is in jpeg and auto ISO mode at the moment. I’ll want to give it far more of a thorough test before I comment. I’m sure you know what I mean.
Damien.
11. Dave causon | August 14th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Hi damien I really liked and learnt a lot from your lightroom and Photoshop post processing parts that you did on a couple of your DVDs, any thoughts on producing a post processing DVD with Marko? I personally think they would sell well as a lot of people can’t take in a days worth of Photoshop trickery in a day. Just a thought, your works ace.
12. damien | August 14th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Hi Larry,
You can get one from here.
Damien.
13. damien | August 14th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your kind words. I’ve done two days filming with Marko on post production but I’m not happy with the results I’m a stickler for quality. There are also a lot of other DVDs out there at ridiculously low price points or even free as podcasts by experts in the field like Scot Kelby among others. I can’t see that it is worth us pursuing the DVD or download at a price project when my time is better spent on lighting training. I’m shooting a new DVD on using Speedlights for both Canon and Nikon users that is due out later this year and I’m writing a new book too. Something has to give and post production videos are it at the moment.
I’m sure you understand.
Regards, Damien.
14. damien | August 15th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Hi Joe,
Sorry I missed your question earlier. I’m using the new Pocket Wizard MiniTT1 and the FlexTT5 to trigger the Speedlights. It’s sort of like using the ST-E2 but with radio instead of infra red and can be used without line of sight.
Damien.
15. John Curgenven | August 15th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Hi Damien,
Yes, understand.
Obviously the Pocket Wizard is not for us Oly users just yet. I have just ordered two of their Speedlights to try out some wireless shots with my E3 – I’m catching up, albeit slowly!!
Cheerio for now,
John
16. Steve porter | August 16th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Hi Damien,
I have noticed from your blog lately that you are shooting more portraits with different white balance settings and gels on your speedlites. I love it. I have recently finished Joe McNally’s “Hot Shoe Diary” book and have bought some gels from Holn and have just started experimenting.
Is the new book you are writing your portrait book, if it is i can’t wait and i am really looking forward to the new video about speedlites.
Keep supplying us with inspiration
Steve
17. damien | August 16th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your kind words. I’m rediscovering the fun I used to have with tungsten lights in daylight only this time I’m using Speedlites.
My new book is on the business of weddings but a portrait book is on the cards.
Don’t hold your breath. Regards,
Damien.
18. Steve porter | August 17th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Hi Damien,
Thats great news about the book, i have a copy of your previous wedding book. I really enjoyed it and found it very informative and inspirational.
I am looking forward to the new book, any proposed release date?
I am glad you are rediscovering a fun element of your photography, because if it isn’t fun you may as well put your cameras in the cupboard.
Are you going to do any wedding photography courses in the future?
Kind Regards
Steve
19. damien | August 18th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Hi John,
You may well be able to use Radio Poppers with your Olympus kit if they ever come out in CE guise.
Or you could treat yourself to a shiny new Canon system
If you have some spare cash lying around I could help spec up a kit for you. 1 5Dmk2 body, 3 f/2.8 L series zoom lenses, 2 580EX11 Speedlites, 2 PW Flex and 1 PW Mini. comes to £7000 Gulp! Photography is not cheap.
Regards, Damien.
20. damien | August 18th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Hi Steve,
Book is over a year off hitting the shelves so don’t hold your breath. And yes we are putting on a Lighting Winter Wedding workshop in November. It should be bookable online within a week.
Damien.
21. John Curgenven | August 18th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Hi Damien,
Thanks for the thought. Thing is, I’m already committed to half a dozen bodies, over 10 lenses plus various accessories.
A misfortune of experience has taught me that divorce ain’t cheap!
I’ll keep hoping for 4:3 compatibility.
BTW – Terrific High Speed Sync shots posted last night.
Talk soon,
John
P.S. – Any chance of a “Follow Thread” function on Prophotonut in addition to RSS?
22. damien | August 19th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Hi John,
A follow thread function eh? I’ll put the idea to Martin to see what the feasibility is. We are nearing our 1 year old mark on Prophotonut so a few tweaks and a new look may be needed too perhaps.
Cheers, Damien.
23. Scott Wiggins | August 19th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Damien,
Do you know if you can use a flex/mini combo to trigger a speedlight but use the ST-E2 or other flash to fire one on the infared?
Trying to work out if I can use the Canon system for a close up flash and the radio for one a bit further away. Bascially do I need to spend another couple of hunder pounds or not.
Great shots and advice of the systems capabilities.
24. damien | August 19th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Hi Scott,
A great question and one I don’t have an answer for yet. I’ll need to go and give it a try. I’ll report back.
Damien.
25. damien | August 19th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Hi Scott,
I’ve just established through testing that you can use an ST-E2 on a MiniTT1 to control both a remote Speedlite using the IR system and a Speedlite on a FlexTT5 triggered by radio.
How cool is that. I have a Flex and a Mini in stock right now here If you want to get creative.
Regards, Damien.
26. DaveT | August 20th, 2009 at 5:06 am
Interesting stuff about the STE2 and mini.
I was wondering if it would be possible to extend this even further. Could you use an STE2 on a Flex T5 and use it to trigger a number of other flashes via infra red?
My thinking was to place a mini TT1 on camera and use that to trigger the STE2 which could be some distance away and potentially out of sight of the camera.
Although it has some limitations it could save having to have triggers on every Speedlite.
27. Scott Wiggins | August 20th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Damien,
That’s fantastic, thanks for trying it out.
Scott
28. damien | August 20th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Hi Dave,
My first thoughts are no way, but you never know until you try it. I’m far too tired to start testing kit now but I will after this weekends wedding at Claridges in London
29. John Curgenven | August 21st, 2009 at 9:18 am
Good morning Damien,
“a new look may be needed too perhaps”
A few tweaks maybe but the current look looks great IMO.
Enjoy the weekend.
John
30. Deniz | December 22nd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Damien , please detail the settings you used… it’s not an optino even mentioned on the PW website… Are you saying that both flashes can be used in ETTL and ratio also?
“I’ve just established through testing that you can use an ST-E2 on a MiniTT1 to control both a remote Speedlite using the IR system and a Speedlite on a FlexTT5
triggered by radio.”
31. damien | December 22nd, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Hi Deniz,
I can’t remember the settings, however this shot is on my new DVD too although I just use one flash in the Telephone box.
Yes you can use ratios in ETTL mode just like you can with the Canon system.
And yes you are right you can use the PW radio system in conjunction with the IR system. This is one of the main advantages US photographers are finding about the PW system over the Radio Poppers. You can trigger 6 or so flashes with just a couple of PWs to sort out the non line of sight flash and use the IR system for the near ones. It doesn’t look like Radio Poppers will ever come to Europe so they are not an option for us.
Regards,
Damien.
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